situation ethics Flashcards
key philosopher
joseph feltcher - 1960s (episcopalian priest)
key goal in situation ethics
to reach agape - unconditional, self-sacfiricial love
derived from the wisdom of the church teaching that love decides ‘then and there’ - helpful becuase is pays attention to the exceptional nature of dilemmas - helpful when providing pragmatic solutions e.g. euthanasia (everyone has autonomy and can chose the way they die)
why do key supporters of situation ethics belive that it is a helpful theory?
becuase it allows for each situation to be considered individually, more applicable to complex situatons as the guidelines are flexible and it gets the best possible outcome for those involved in the situation.
what did the cab driver in st. louis say to fletcher to inspire him?
“sometimes one has to push aside ones principles in order to do the right thing”
this led him to create an ethical theory that was a ‘middle way’ between the legalism or rigid laws and abseloutist theories.
a quote from feltchers book: ‘a new morality’ stating that you should be prepared to set moral aside for the most loving outcome.
“the situationist follows a moral law or voilates it according to loves need”
cristicism of agape
it can set people or love against rules - does not acknowledge the use of rules for the greter good of protecting people agaisnt harm.
what do christians beleive on the basis of sactity of life?
the biblical teaching: “the lord giveth and the lord taketh away”
argue that euthanasia is wrong on the basis of the 6th commandment that ‘thou shalt not kill’
what did paul ramsey argue is criticism of fletchers theory
that we must have rules to adjudicate between contradictory courses of action grounded in love.
to aid this flaw, he argued that we should follow ‘rule agapeism’ which entailed ‘rules of practice’.
this means that we should think more rationally about big desicions such as marriage - plan for seperation rather than commit to it purely on the basis of love.
fletchers justification for placing love at the core of his theory
he believed he was restoring the spirit of the law that jesus spoke of in the sermon at the mount. this may appear as helpful as it is common to follow the teachings of authority in faith
david millars arguement agaisnt placing love at the core of situation ethics QUOTE
‘the failure to grasp the bibles identificagion of the central concern of human beings: to love, honor, glorify and obey god’
fletchers flaw is that he only considers love for man and disregards mans love for god
fletchers key techings are therfore perceived as ‘materialistic and secular’.
christians find the theory unhelpful as it prevents them from fulfilling their duty to god.
fletchers 4 working principles
pragmatism - american pragmatists: james, dewey and pierce. argues the main focus of ethics should be on what works as this tends to have beneficial consequnces
relativism - no abseloutist laws as every response is unique e.g. jesus breaking sabbath for a loving reason
positivism - value judjments are perceived as a desicion we commit to rather than a statement that needs to be proven.
personalism - to be selfless and put the happiness of others before your own. put people at the centre of the concern
an example of where pragmatism was used to come to a loving situation, although it goes agaisnt key moral laws
+ criticism
mrs bergemeir was in a prison war camp and recieved information that her husband and children had been set free. there are only two ways she can escape the camp and that is either recieving medical assistance or becoming pregnant. she therfor commited the unethical act of adultery to reach the loving conclusion of escaping the russian camp and being reunited with her family.
although - directly opposed by those who support kantian ethics
how would kant respond to situation ethics?
believe there is an abseloute moral law that is accesible for everyone through reason. a situation should not have an impact of ones moral desicion making between right and wrong. clear rules makes desicion making easier. kant strongly believed , as example, that lying should be strictly prohibeted as it leads to a lack of trust.
how does anthony o’hare support kants approach to situation ethics?
not all ethucal decisions can be made situationally as their are some acts that are intrinsically wrong. it is not right to rely on a situationist theory as it justifies cruel acts e.g. genital mutilation should not be permissable
SE pragmatic approach sees conscience as a ‘verb’ not a ‘noun’
often described as ‘reason making moral judgments’ - described as an inner faculty which makes the theory more contientious and forward loking rather than recieving order from an external source of authority - based on future events rather than our experience.
